Another one of my foraging finds from a few days ago. At this time of year, you can find winged (aka shining) sumac berries and make sumac-ade which is better than lemonade if you get the berries at the right time. There is an acidic coating on the berries that washes off some with each rain. This is what makes the sumac-ade. The ID is easy because of the "wing" along the leaf stem. Rhus Copallium is a cooling astringent that can be used as a tonic. It has also been used as an antiseptic as a mouthwash and for treating wounds. For sumac-ade, soak the berries in water for about 15 to 20 minutes. Move those berries around to loosen up the malic acid (also found in pears, apples, blackberries, etc). You can soak it longer, but it may get more of an astringent taste which is still safe to drink. You can sweeten it to your liking. I like asking people to rub their fingers over the berries on the bush and then lick their fingers. If the berries are harvested at the right time, their eyes will get big because their fingers can taste quite tart! I'm drinking a big glass of sumac-ade as I type this post. Yum!!
